


This Is Not A Shoujo Manga

by charm point (arthur_pendragon)



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M, hopefully also somewhat sad, hopefully humorous
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-26
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-15 08:13:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3439940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arthur_pendragon/pseuds/charm%20point
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The progression of Atobe and Shishido's massive crushes on each other - only Shishido doesn't know until he does - through the end of their school life.</p><p>In which Shishido blesses many people and has many wet dreams, and Atobe puts up with Shishido's gratuitous name-calling.</p><p>("No. I refuse to be in a shoujo manga.")</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Is Not A Shoujo Manga

**Author's Note:**

> Imagine they're all in high school, and that canon events have occurred in high school, even though they would now have known each other for a little over six years. The things some people do in this are just not done in middle school, and they all canonically look like adults, anyway.

When Atobe catches Shishido glaring into space, he questions first the location - smack bang in the middle of a tennis court - and second the motive, for he was also smack bang in the middle of a match against Ootori.

"Ryou!"

Jolted out of whatever reverie he had been entertaining, Shishido turns an annoyed gaze to Atobe. "What do you want?" he snaps.

"Ten laps after you're done with the match."

"Why the fuck?"

"Look at Ootori."

Shishido flinches. Choutarou is standing there sheepishly, the racket and the tennis ball in his hands, in a stance that clearly showed he wasn't expecting to play tennis any time soon. Shishido shoots him an apologetic smile that melts off his face as soon as he turns back to Atobe. "Fine," he calls back. "Fine, Ahobe," he adds under his breath. Atobe doesn't miss that. "Twenty."

Shishido wants to flip him the bird, but he's too busy actually playing a match now. He thinks he's going to lose, because who the hell daydreams in the middle of a match, until he does lose. Choutarou apologizes for winning for the third time in a row, but Shishido waves it off.

He's amiable about the entire thing, knowing he's completely to fault for daydreaming about the dream he had last night, at least till Atobe pins him to the spot with a 'run your laps, then you're coming with me to Coach's office.'

There. Not so amiable anymore.

"Fuck." He says goodbye to his regulars spot... again.

"Oi, Ryou." Shishido, still pinned in place, glances to the court on his left. Gakuto's strutting towards him with as smug a smile he can manage. Shishido prepares himself.

"You... are completely... fucked."

"I know," Shishido shoots back. "Don't need you to tell me."

"How are you going to get back your place? Do you even  _have_  any more hair to cut?" Gakuto says, snickering as he passes by him to the court on the other side, where Yuushi is waiting with a smile indescribable as anything else bar  _lewd_. Perhaps they have  _lewd_  activities planned. Shishido ignores that thought in favour in favour of lunging at Gakuto.

"Mukahi, I'll fucking kill you!"

Shishido does manage to lunge at him, but Gakuto's shirt slips out of his hands, very wet with sweat, and he falls to the ground. Gakuto laughs loudly (and rudely) at him while he gets up, dusts himself off with a sigh, and begins his laps. At least Choutarou cares. He took Shishido's racket and promised to put it in Shishido's locker, and then left him there with his daily 'bye, Shishido-san, see you tomorrow.'

Twenty laps around the Hyotei tennis grounds are usually nothing for him, but he's panting for breath when he finishes, because of the three hour practice he had before this.

Atobe is waiting for him, extreme displeasure apparent on his face. Everyone seems to have left in the time it took him to complete the laps - the courts are empty.

"As your captain, I must tell you that this is the third time that you've lost in such a pathetic fashion to your junior, Ryou, and there will be severe consequences." Atobe holds out a water bottle to him.

"Don't fucking remind me." Shishido takes it from him and takes a long drink. "Is it gone for good?"

They both know what 'it' means.

Atobe waits until Shishido has finished drinking to answer.

"I'm willing to speak up for you again, at great risk to my captaincy."

Shishido's sigh is of relief this time, though he is close to trembling by the time they reach Coach's office. Atobe knocks once. It's a rap, a classy little rich-person knock, and Shishido would mock him for it but Atobe is his only hope, so he restrains himself from pissing Atobe off.

"Enter."

Atobe pushes open the door, and they both go in. It's just as sweltering hot in the office as it is in the grounds. Shishido can feel the sweat forming on his skin and rolling down his back. He feels like there are ants there, not sweat drops.

Coach Sakaki is coldly angry - visibly - at both Ryou, for the deterioration in his tennis skills so near the quarterfinals, and at Atobe, for still standing up for him. His punishment is doled out to both of them - stay after practice and practise.

"You, as the  _captain_  of the Hyotei tennis team, will help him regain his original strength, and if Shishido does not win against Ootori at the end of this week - " Shishido blanches, because under the force of Sakaki's stare, Atobe can't - "he will never reenter the team, and you will lose your post as captain to Oshitari."

Atobe nods. "Agreed."

"You may leave."

Outside the door, Shishido leans against the wall. "Fuuuuck, Atobe. I'm sorry."

"If only you hadn't gotten distracted in your match. What were you thinking about?"

"Shut up," Shishido sighs again. "I'm going to the locker room to change my shirt, looks like we're gonna be here a while."

"That we are."

"Sorry, assface," Shishido mutters.

"Ahn?"

"Nothing."

They walk in silence to the locker room, which is in the same building as Coach's office. The building also has two storage spaces, and a shower room. Shishido plans on using it very soon.

As soon as they're inside, Shishido pulls off his shirt with a groan. "Holy shit," he says. It's dripping with sweat. The shirt, and Shishido. Not even Coach Sakaki's cold glare could freeze the droplets.

The locker room is sterile, the lockers all made of gleaming stainless steel. The floor is a dirty white. Shishido opens his locker and, upon seeing his racket properly placed inside, internally blesses his doubles partner. He pulls out a new shirt from the heap lying in there. It's not really new, judging by its stink, but Shishido has no choice.

Atobe sits down on a bench with a notepad and pen, electing to not change. Shishido wants to mock him for this, too, but he feels kind of guilty that Atobe was dragged into this.

"I'm going to plan out a schedule for the four days we have left," Atobe says, "and you're going to follow it like a dutiful and responsible  _regular_."

"Yeah, yeah," Shishido says, sitting down beside him. He is naked from the waist up, and his shorts are low on his hips. Atobe, if he had wanted to, could have seen the dipping lines from his hips to his groin. "What's the plan for today?"

"Facing Ootori's signature serve." Atobe writes it down on the notepad against that day's date. Of course, Atobe can replicate the serve with all its power, because he is Atobe Keigo, the captain of the Hyotei tennis club, who knows his teammates inside out and is more skilled than every single one of them.

"Sure."

"Put on your shirt."

"You're not my mom, Atobe."

"Put it on."

Shishido pulls the shirt over his head. "Happy, mom?"

Atobe ignores the jibe, writing something else in his notebook. Shishido begrudges him his beautiful handwriting.

"Tomorrow, we're going to practise aiming at his weak spots... although he shouldn't actually have them." Atobe's Insight has given him some pointers as to the very few blind spots Choutarou has on the court, and he plans to exploit each.

"Yeah, okay."

"Get up."

Shishido gets up, stretching himself. They walk back to the court with their rackets.

It is frustrating how Atobe does serve Choutarou's serve perfectly. Shishido curses. Why the fuck does he have to be so fucking good at this. At everything.

Their practice extends well into the night. It is nearly eight when Atobe says, "We'll stop now."

Shishido immediately collapses onto the ground. "Fucking finally," he exhales. Atobe comes over to stand beside his spreadeagled body.

"Would you like me to give you a lift home - "

"Shut up for once, asshole."

Atobe smiles wryly, all to used to Shishido's vulgar vocabulary. He waits five minutes - Shishido does not stop breathing heavily - and repeats the question.

"Sure. 'S been a while since I last rode in your rich-boy car."

Atobe does not have the strength to be offended.

Shishido almost dozes off on the dirty ground, but extends an arm to a patiently-waiting Atobe at the last moment. Atobe pulls him up with ease.

"I just wanna go home," Shishido says. He looks as exhausted as Atobe feels.

There goes Shishido's plan of using the showers.

Atobe phones his chauffeur, and orders him to bring the 'rich-boy car' around to the back entrance of the Hyotei tennis grounds. They start walking to the entrance. So tired. So fucking tired.

"I really hate you, Ahobe," Shishido says. "Working me into the ground. I'm not that bad at tennis. I'm really fucking good at it, I fucking haaaate you."

"Yet you're one of my best friends." The amusement in Atobe's voice is palpable. Shishido asks, "What makes you think I don't regret that title?"

"You get to ride in my rich-boy car."

They reach the limousine - of course it's a fucking limousine, Atobe and his father don't let the Aston Martin or the Audi near the school grounds - and it's rumbling, ready for them. Shishido really hopes the aircon's on. The chauffeur jumps out of the car and opens the door for them. A blast of cool air sweeps past Shishido as both of them climb into the back of the limo.

God bless, it is on.

He doesn't mean to, but he falls asleep inside.

He wakes up and the limo's loitering, engine revving once in a while, aircon air blasts accompanying the revs, outside his house. Has been for a while, he can see his parents peeping outside from the window and whispering to each other. "Why thfuck didn't you wake me up," he drawls. "Thfuck, Ahobe."

But Atobe is also asleep next to him. So relaxed, a completely different picture from his taut face throughout the day.

Shishido takes his things and gives Atobe a rich-person, classy little knock on the head, getting out. He slams the door closed. He can hear the sudden expletive from a startled Atobe through it. Shishido thanks the driver, and trudges to the front door.

"Atobe," he says, laconic, and his parents understand.

He doesn't even get time to look at his homework before he's out like a light on his bed, dirty, muddy, sweaty, in those disgusting and filthy clothes.

* * *

He feels utter revulsion the next morning. Not only did he sleep in those repulsive clothes, but he also had a happy-ending wet dream (doesn't remember who it was or what happened) and creamed his shorts, a whole lot, in his sleep. On top of that, he sweated a whole lot more once he was out of the airconditioned car, and fuck. His day is going to be so fucking terrible.

His legs ache. His body aches. So much strenuous exercise. He hates Atobe and Sakaki. They're gonna lose in the quarterfinals, anyway. What the fuck. Don't think that. They're gonna win. Ugh, come stained sweaty underwear fucking stinks.

"Gekidasa..." he can't even say the 'da ze', just shaking his head and going into the bathroom before the stench of the stale come makes him vomit.

He takes a long, long, cold shower, and feels cleaner once he's out of it. But he ends up very late to Hyotei's morning practice... so, guess what.

"Fifteen laps, Ryou, for being late," Atobe says not five seconds after Shishido grumpily shuffles in.

Yeah, fuck you, too.

Atobe is presiding over the practice, standing at a vantage point with his arms folded. Shishido grimaces at him, and goes over to Choutarou, who had been waiting for him and always kept Shishido's spare racket for emergencies.

"Fuck, fuck this, fuck everything, fuck this fucking life, fuck, fuck, fuck him right in the ass, fuck this."

Ootori, right beside him, jumps a little, and looks at him like a deer in the headlights. Shishido's hand automatically goes up to slap his face. "Sorry, Choutarou," he mumbles through his fingers. "I'm decimating your innocence."

"No, Shishido-san, I was bound to learn some day." Ootori's smile first thing in the day is a dazzling smile to see. Shishido internally blesses him. He decides to test how effective Atobe's rigorous (to say the least) training yesterday was.

"You're an angel, you are. Mind aiming a Neo Scud Serve at me right now?"

"Of course!" Because Choutarou understands that Shishido didn't mean 'aim at me' literally.

They hurry onto an empty court, because Shishido has his laps to run, and take their positions. Choutarou announces that he's going to serve - Shishido nods - and then -

The returned ball flies past Ootori. Return ace. Fucking hell. Everyone who had noticed the serve and the stellar return goes silent. Shishido thanks Choutarou, who is standing, stunned, and keeps the racket on the sidelines bench, and goes to run his laps.

He can't see Atobe's smile out of the corner of his eye at all. He can't. He fucking can't.

"Shut up," he huffs as he runs past his captain. Atobe only has another pleased smile to offer.

Choutarou is incredibly happy about the return, gushing to Shishido, who basks in the attention. His sour mood dissipates, and he manages to enjoy the remaining practice hours, despite the singing pain in all his muscles.

In school, he falls asleep, again. In Bio. It's a frequent habit, and the teacher doesn't even care anymore. Gakuto, however, does. He hisses at Shishido beside him.

"Psst."

"Pay attention to the teacher, Mukahi," says Shishido. He keeps dozing.

"Oi. How'd you return the serve one day after getting pissed on?"

"I'm fucking amazing, that's how."

"Ryou!"

"Practice, Mukahi."

"What kind of practice?"

"Tough practice."

Mukahi shoots him a glare that Shishido, even with his eyes closed, notices. "I'm going to interrogate you after school," he threatens.

"Please, as if you can get off Yuushi's dick for even a second."

A brief moment of silence.

The teacher coughs politely, having heard the exchange, implying the rest of the class did as well. Mukahi jumps, and blushing furiously, faces the front. The teacher's droning resumes. So does Shishido's dozing.

Mukahi avoids him in practice after school. Shishido knows he'll get over it. This was the ninth time his allusions to Gakuto and Oshitari fucking were overheard, after all. You get used to it.

He and Choutarou practise the serve-and-return again. He gets permission from Atobe to do it.

Choutarou, god bless this angel, is very happy for him. Atobe and Shishido decided yesterday that Choutarou wasn't to know of the impending match, as he would try and lose it to keep Atobe as captain and Shishido on the team.

He's very nice like that.

After everyone leaves, he and Atobe go over all of Choutarou's weaknesses, from what Atobe knows as a captain and through his Insight, and from what Shishido knows as his doubles partner.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to destroy him on Saturday if you want back into the team," Atobe says. "He is much too good at tennis."

Neither relishes the prospect.

Atobe takes on Choutarou's demeanor for the remaining hours, and they practice like that. At least Shishido can properly return every serve of his now.

Like yesterday, he is exhausted by the time it's 8. Like yesterday, he falls asleep in Atobe's limo. But this time, Atobe's awake. Awake to see Shishido in all his sleeping glory.

The limo loiters again outside Shishido's home, but Atobe does not wake him up. He gets an earful for that once Shishido does.

"Thanks for the lift, though, assface," Shishido mutters as he climbs out.

"Respect your captain more," is Atobe's reply.

* * *

Another wet dream, and Shishido shudders awake right in the middle of it. The blinking digital clock reads 3 am on his bedside stand. Looks like he'd been humping his bed. And he's still very hard and leaking precome, and sweaty, and fiery hot. In his dark bedroom, he slips his fingers under his shorts, and takes hold of himself, with his face pressed into the pillows.

It's 3:10 am when he comes all over his hands with a muffled moan, and he can't quite go back to sleep once he's washed his hands. He is trying to figure out whose name he drowsily moaned when he orgasmed. At least he remembers what was happening to him in the dream. Someone was fucking him into the bed. And it felt fantastically good.

He gets ready for the day, brushing his teeth, using the loo, showering, packing his bag, frantically finishing his homework. This time, he isn't late for morning practice but, for some reason, Shishido can't look anyone in the eye. Especially not Choutarou. He just keeps his eyes on the ball and hits it back to whoever's across the court. Also, he's half-hard because he keeps thinking about getting fucked into the bed, and keeps wondering who it was in the dream. Best case scenario, it was a faceless, nameless person. Worst case scenario...

"Shishido-san, are you all right?" It's Choutarou, and he looks really concerned. Shishido looks at him, startled. "Yeah, A plus. What's the matter?"

"You don't seem very interested in practicing today. You just keep looking down..."

Choutarou's eyes trail downwards. Shishido prays.

He sees nothing, as apparently he's looking down at the ground and not at Shishido's crotch. God bless this pure angel.

"Is there something on the ground?"

"No," Shishido replies. "I don't have the strength to hold my head up today."

Ootori checks Shishido for a fever by touching his and his own forehead with his hands. It's hot. Shishido's forehead, that is.

"I think you have a fever, Shishido-san!" Choutarou cries. "Please accompany me to the dispensary! You've definitely been overworking yourself!"

His outburst gets Atobe's attention from where he's playing power tennis with Kabaji. Shishido groans. His boner isn't going down. And these are loose shorts. Atobe, not as innocent as Choutarou, is going to notice. Fuck his life.

Atobe stalks over, slightly pissed that they're not playing tennis. "Ryou. Ootori. Do you love running laps this much?"

"Atobe-buchou! Shishido-san has a fever!" Ootori exclaims, worried.

Atobe runs a gaze over Shishido, definitely noting the slight bulge (a small smirk forms on his face and his eyes linger for a moment) (Shishido wants to kill himself because Ahobe of all people noticed), and says, "Fine. Ootori, finish my match with Kabaji. I shall escort Ryou to the infirmary personally."

"Thank you, Buchou!" And Choutarou, after one more worried glance at Shishido, runs off.

Shishido also turns to run to the nearest cliff and jump off, but Atobe grasps his arm firmly. What the fuck. "What the fuck," he says. "Let go of me."

But he gets dragged to the infirmary anyway. It's on the topmost floor. Nice, Shishido thinks. He can jump out the window to a certain death.

"I hadn't known that you think of Ootori in... that way."

Shishido doesn't know what he's talking about. Actually, he does, but anything he says after this point only helps him dig a deeper well for himself.

"I don't, shut up. Just... had a weird dream I can't... get out of my mind."

Atobe hums.

They climb up the stairs in silence. The utter humiliation has made... it go down, and well, that's one problem solved. Shishido actually does have a slight fever. That's the other problem.

Atobe doesn't tattle, so his embarrassing condition will remain a secret - not a problem at all.

The nurse in the infirmary has a huge soft spot for Atobe, and Atobe takes full advantage of it, flirting with her as soon as he's got one foot in the room. He somehow manages to get her to allow Shishido to stay for the first two periods. Shishido grudgingly blesses Atobe in his mind, because two whole fucking periods. Hyotei, the school of overachievers and extra healthy people, has never ever let a student stay for more than one. He's going to miss Bio and English! Fantastic. He goes to the last curtain-shielded bed, farthest from the door, and swishes the curtain closed behind him, so no one can see him. Three curtain walls around him, and a nice, warm bed. Time to go to sleep. Hopefully the nurse doesn't pester him except to maybe give him painkillers for the two-day ache in his body... but he's here for a fever.

He drifts off, feeling guilty about missing practice when he has to defeat Choutarou in just a few days.

Some time later, he jerks awake. He is feeling much better now, less on edge. He contemplates not getting up, but he'll have to, his watch says the second period is just about to end.

"Hello, Satou-sensei," comes the much-annoying voice of his captain, right on time. He enjoys a lot of privilege - like being able to retrieve Shishido from the dispensary in the middle of class, and such.

"Why, hello, Atobe-kun! Are two periods over so soon?"

"Yes, and here I am to see you again, ahn?"

"What a cute boy. Shishido-kun is in the last bed over there."

"Thank you, but I really am here for you, sensei."

"Sure, Atobe-kun. He should be waking up soon."

He feels weak, like you feel weak after just waking up. He doesn't ache anymore, like he ached before.  It's what he gets, though, for losing a match against his doubles partner and spending six to seven hours a day continuously returning power shots.

The curtain flies open, and there stands Atobe, his "best friend" captain. The rich-boy smile is plastered on his face, because the nurse is at the other end of the the room.

"Whaddayawant," Shishido grumbles. Atobe asks, "Has your fever gone down?"

"Yeah." It has. He's back to 37.5 degrees celsius, according to his internal thermometer.

"Will you be able to attend this afternoon's practice?"

"Of course, assface, I'm not some fragile flower."

"No, that you certainly are not," says Atobe with a sigh of consternation at the 'assface'.

The rest of the school day passes very enjoyably. At lunch, a girl asks him out, the highlight of his month. She's average-looking, but has a certain dignity to her. Also her deep brown hair flows down her back very attractively. Shishido hadn't noticed her before that but he accepts her on the spot and watches her blush and go back to her seat without even a glance at Atobe... who seems displeased.

"What?" Shishido says, noticing. "Not every girl wants to get in your pants. My pants are also veeery niiice." Gakuto cackles at the way Shishido says 'very nice', having settled his differences with Shishido in fourth period.

Atobe rolls his eyes and goes back to eating.

"Today, you shall hone your skills against me as myself and not as Ootori," Atobe says during regular practice.

"Fine. When do I get off?"

"The same time as usual."

"Y'think you could let me go and tell Ayame? She wanted to walk home with me after practice."

Atobe narrows his eyes. Not three hours after she asked him out. Well.

"You have two minutes."

Shishido dashes off.

Yuushi and Gakuto look at his running figure, but not enviously. They stand there, discussing his chances of lasting with her (and betting on them) until Atobe barks at them to get back to practice.

"Hardass," Oshitari yells from his court. Everyone pretends to not hear, because the perimeter of the tennis grounds is very large. Atobe makes him do fifty laps.

In Atobe and Shishido's practice, he seems much more motivated today. He manages to get three games off Atobe before losing the match. In the two matches he has after that, he steals four games in each.

"Good, but you could be better," Atobe says, uncapping a bottle of spring water which Shishido steals and pours all over himself.

"Fucking yeah I could be better."

"Do you want a lift home in my rich-boy car - " Atobe begins, not knowing why he's even asking, of course Shishido will say yes -

"Nah, but thanks. Gonna be riding home on Ayame's scooter, she's coming to get me," Shishido says, grinning widely and towelling himself off. "Did you know she's liked me since we were first years?"

Indeed, she's waiting at the back entrance, beside the limo, looking like she just came from an exam-preparatory class. The kind that offers tutoring for entrance exams. She also has a helmet on, and there's one in her hands for Ryou.

She smiles brightly at Shishido, and has eyes for no other. Atobe stands and watches as Shishido gets on the back of the scooter, laughing in reply to something she said. They ride off after she ensures Shishido puts on the helmet.

(Atobe doesn't fall asleep this time in the limo.)

Shishido kisses Ayame on the cheek after asking for permission, and waves goodbye as she rides off after dropping him at his house. She is so beautiful when she smiles. Shishido is this close to falling in love. But it's much too soon, just a day, so he doesn't.

* * *

The fourth day, Friday, a day before the match, Atobe challenges him to - well, tells him that they're going to have, really - a three-set match. Shishido accepts it.

It's a beautiful evening, and each shot is heard clearly. Shishido feels like he's flying - Atobe is obviously the better player, but Ryou's giving him a run for his money - and when Atobe suddenly, without warning, starts hitting Choutarou's shots and serves, he can keep up, and that's. Fucking. Exhilarating. He's laughing as he rallies, because holy fuck he's gotten used to exhausting, life-sapping training in just four days, and because Atobe looks worried that he actually might lose, and isn't going easy on him. At all.

The match-winning shot is a Rondo Towards Destruction, and Atobe sighs as he stands on the ground, looking at the indentation his smash made on the corner of the court. Coach is going to kill him.

Shishido loses, 2-6, 7-6, 0-6. But he doesn't care. He just had the match of his life.

"Fucking amazing!" Shishido screams into the air, and there is nothing else going through his mind save for that. "Fucking hell, Atobe, you're a better fucking fantastic player when you take that stick out your ass and play f'your life. You honestly thought you were going to lose, huh?"

"No," Atobe says. "I was worried that the margin I always win by would decrease."

Shishido laughs. He's happy.

The next morning, Coach shows up to Saturday practice. That alone sends ripples through the club. Ootori is horrified when he learns of what is on the line. But Shishido reassures him. "Don't worry, Choutarou. Don't go easy on me, that'd be insulting to me. One shot with all your soul, remember! Many shots like that."

Ootori nods, unable to speak. Sakaki goes to stand beside Atobe, the Hyotei tennis club members surrounding them.

The match is momentous, as everyone else realizes when the umpire (Hiyoshi) announces the stakes.

It's going to affect the lineup for the quarterfinals.

Atobe Keigo might not be captain anymore.

Oshitari wants Ootori to lose, though. He says as much.

"Do you not want to be captain?" Atobe asks, surprised.

"I think you're the better man for the job, that's all. The best captain for Hyotei."

Atobe smiles, and turns back to the match.

A match between Ootori and Shishido is never one-sided, but this time, it looks like Shishido's got the upper hand. Ootori looks dismayed, having heeded Shishido's warning of not taking him lightly but still losing. Simultaneously, he's smiling widely.

Everyone is silent during the match, enthralled by the display. No one can tear their eyes away. It is astounding. Two extremely skilled tennis players giving it their all. Even Jirou is awake, and watching intently.

It is a thrilling sight to see, Shishido defeating Ootori 7-5, and sinking to his knees with the realization that he just cemented his place in the team. The match ends, and thunderous cheering erupts from the non-regulars - and Choutarou, who runs over to hug his doubles partner. The match ends, and a staunch belief that Hyotei has what it takes to win Nationals settles itself in the hearts of every Hyotei tennis club member. This belief is all the more precious - this is a second chance. The hope they had lost after Seigaku's victory, and gained in part with the invitation to participate once more in the tournament is blazing in all of them. The third years are almost in tears.

Coach Sakaki murmurs from beside Atobe, "If four days of personal training with you can result in  _that_... Good work, Captain."

Atobe is strangely proud of those words, and knows he will treasure them for life.

"Oi, Atobe!" Akutagawa calls from the court.

The regulars have gathered on the court and are freely celebrating the magnificent tennis they just saw, yelling and cheering, completely unlike themselves - and they want Atobe with them.

Keigo does not hesitate to abandon all restraint, and runs to them. His team.

Shishido finds himself crushed in a group hug, and the first arms are Atobe's - his voice, calling "Shishido, Ryou,  _Ryou_  -" in his ear - the joyful screaming of the two-hundred-strong club - the rare smile on their coach's face - the optimism in the air painting everything with brightness.

* * *

Shishido has a wet dream... yet again. He's giving someone a sloppy blowjob. His hands are in Shishido's long hair (that is how he knows this is really a dream). Moaning, and breathing heavily. Shishido's eyes in the dream are closed, and his hands tight on the person's hips; all he can focus on is the hot, hard cock rubbing against his wet mouth. He actually wants nothing else to focus on.

His tongue flicks out and licks the tip. He opens his mouth wide and takes all of it into his mouth, till the base. His teeth accidentally graze against the skin. Oh, god, what a marvelous -

He shivers with pleasure at the broken sounds he hears. He recognizes the voice, but can't link it to a person! He wants to open his eyes and look up, but can't prevent himself from beginning to suck, hollowing his cheeks out and pulling back. His saliva is everywhere, all over his lips and the cock, making connecting strings, and - Shishido opens his eyes. Fuck, fucking hell, look at that, oh god fucking beautiful - shiny with spit and Shishido takes it into his mouth again - he kisses it all over, and somewhere lower - a warning from the voice he definitely recognizes but can't put a face to - "Ryou,  _Ryou_ " - Shishido won't even need any stimulation to come - and the person comes all over Shishido's face, trying to aim it into his mouth. Shishido comes, too, coming from just the taste and feel of it on him... comes in his shorts, but in the dream only.

He wakes up and there is definitely a tent in his shorts, but they're (god bless) dry.

He does recognize the voice. Had heard it yesterday, after the match. The same words. Calling to him.

He goes red, utterly red, and refuses to think about it. Forgets about it. Dives into preparation for the quarterfinals, which are just three weeks away.

Ayame kisses him on the lips the night before they face Seigaku again. She wishes him good luck and hugs him tightly before the kiss, and after. Shishido holds her in his arms and feels like a gentleman, even if he's wearing a backwards cap and a dirty tennis uniform, which seems to be his trademark. He's going to win, Hyotei's going to win and she will kiss him again and he will soar in the sky.

Then, the next day, they are massacred by their old rivals.

* * *

The entire team watches in tears as Atobe takes the razor from Echizen and shaves his head.

* * *

Ayame breaks up with Shishido soon afterwards, for she says she has found someone better, in her own words. Honestly? Shishido's glad that at least the 'someone better' isn't Atobe. That would've killed him far worse than her leaving does. Why did she like him for three years if she was going to do  _this_  to him?

He doesn't talk about it to Choutarou, who clearly knows about the break-up (despite Shishido not having informed anyone) and wants to help. He can't, he is too ashamed of himself for not being good enough to keep.

* * *

Atobe has missed school for a week, breaking his perfect attendance record. Shishido doesn't want to go to his house, but it looks like he has no choice. He needs to tell someone what happened, and someone who he mocks and is rude to on a daily basis seems like his best bet.

The mansion gates open for him after the butler asks through the intercom who he is, and he is led to the fifth door on the third floor, which is where Atobe is for the moment. Shishido feels like he's out of place in such a regal environment, wearing his tennis clothes. He raises his hand and does the classy little rich-boy knock he heard and saw Atobe doing the other day. He hears Atobe say - "Come in."

Shishido goes in. It isn't a bad room. It actually looks and feels like a hotel room. Cozy but distant. Beige and white everything, sparse steel and wood furniture. A couple of well-maintained plants in the corner. A huge bookshelf full with thick tomes that all look lovingly used. A desk on one side of the room, school textbooks that Shishido recognizes stacked neatly on it. Hidden lighting, and a humming air conditioner.

"If you've finished evaluating my room, you can tell me why you're here."

Shishido looks at Atobe. Sitting in a leather chair, immaculately dressed with a coffee table book in hand, as if the very next moment he is to host a party. Shishido had imagined Atobe would be ill. He has too much self-esteem to miss school after the devastating defeat.

"I thought you were sick."

"Clearly not." His hair looks hideous, but he doesn't. He looks... really good. He looks really handsome. Shishido's heart skips a beat, remembering the dream. He had forgotten it! Damn it.

How would it feel to suck Atobe off?

"What the fuck is your problem? Why haven't you been coming to school?"

"I had an interview and orientation tour in Germany, where I shall pursue further education."

The world brakes, and comes to a halt.

"What?"

"College," Atobe begins, "is not something to be taken lightly. Yuushi wishes to return to Osaka. Gakuto shall accompany him. Jirou plans to go to Hyotei University. Kabaji is leaving, going back to England, and I, I have plans in Germany."

"Oi, fuckface, couldn't you have told me earlier - " He has no plans for college, he hasn't scouted any, he hasn't even thought of applying, he doesn't know if he even wants to apply -

"I couldn't have, Ryou. I made the decision just a few days ago."

"Ayame left me," Shishido blurts out, and then chokes up as the wound reopens. Atobe looks like he was expecting to hear it.

"I know," he says.

The world still isn't moving.

"What?"

"I know she left you."

"How?"

"She came to me afterwards to propose a relationship."

But she wouldn't even look at Atobe earlier. Why would she do that? How could she? Shishido wants to think Atobe's lying, but Keigo would never lie to him.

"What... did you say to her?" Shishido breathes. This is fucking terrible.

Atobe closes the book and gets up, walking over to Shishido who has been standing like an awkward statue in the middle of the room all this while.

"I told her I was already in love with someone else, and that I had been for years, now."

"Oh," Shishido says. He goes to sit on the bed, close to breaking down. But he is not weak. He composes himself. "How was your interview?"

"I got accepted the moment they looked at my file," Atobe replies. "The interview and orientation were merely necessary formalities." Atobe also sits down on the bed, so close that Shishido could lean on him and fall asleep if he wanted to.

"This is fucking terrible," Shishido groans. "Training with you bore no fruit, jackass, my body ached for weeks for nothing, and all of you are leaving me behind as always. I'm gonna be alone again. Maybe I should fail all my exams, that way I'll be in Choutarou's class next year. This is fucking terrible. I'm gonna be alone." His voice cracks.

"Come with me, then." Atobe's voice is soft.

"And do what? Get a job in the university cafeteria and learn to speak, read, write German?"

"Study with me. In my university. I could teach you the language, as easily as we underwent the training."

"How the fuck am I gonna get in?" If he even entertains the ridiculous notion that he could go study in Germany with Atobe.

"I'm sure I could get my father to pull a few strings," Atobe muses, but that is such a repulsive idea to Shishido that he stops him right there. "No fucking way. If I get in, I'll do it on my own. On my own merit."

"How noble," Atobe laughs. "Well, they have a rolling admissions system, so I could help you with applying as soon as possible, so they accept you as soon as possible."

"I'll need a day to talk about this with my parents. I don't even know if they'll let me... and what about the fees?" The ridiculous notion seems... not so ridiculous now, but Shishido hates the fact that he isn't doing something like this independently. He hates that he has to rely on Atobe even for this, and Atobe apparently gets it, because he says:

"I know if you had the choice to, you would do this by yourself. But you are my best friend. Take my help. I would love for you to come with me, especially since you seem to have made no plans of your own."

"Thanks for the reminder, asshole," Shishido says automatically in return to the barb. Ayame is the last thing on his mind for now.

"Why don't you stay the night?"

Shishido starts. Fuck no. What if he has one of his dreams. Especially like the one he had, featuring Atobe himself. Nope. Not staying.

"I'd rather not, thanks."

"All right, then." Atobe accepts his refusal with grace.

They remain in the room for a while, studying. Their final exams are so close they can taste them. Shishido is very nervous now, because he can imagine how competitive applicants to Atobe's university must be, and he needs to excel in his final exams to get in - he doesn't have the academic or extracurricular achievements Atobe already had to secure his place.

When Shishido stands up from the desk, Atobe smiles. "Going so soon?"

"It's 8 at night, loser. I gotta have dinner with my parents and talk to them about this, yknow." Shishido stretches, yawning with his eyes shut. He feels like Atobe's eyes are tracing every movement, every line of his body, but maybe he just can't shake the dream off. Atobe probably has his nose buried in the textbook.

"Okay, Ahobe. See you around. I'll let myself out, keep studying or go jerk off or use the dildo all of us bought you in second year or something. Don't miss school tomorrow, all the girls are crying themselves silly."

"Yes, okay," Atobe says. Still smiling. Somehow Shishido gets the impression that it's a sad smile, that Atobe is sad, despite there being no indications of it. He wants to chalk it up to Atobe being down for him, but he asks anyway -

"Are you upset about something?"

Atobe chuckles like a rich boy. "No, you're just really dense."

"Excuse you. Should I poke my nose in further?"

"Do you want to?" Atobe looks up at him. He isn't smiling anymore. Shishido looks at him for a long moment. He's about to reply, when:

"It's fine. Nothing I can't handle myself. Now  _leave_  so I can finally use it after a  _year_."

A wicked, wicked grin flashes across Atobe's face, because of course he is (maybe) joking, and Shishido's reactions are always gold to behold.

Shishido turns a blotchy red, and he tries to say something - but nothing's emerging from his mouth. He turns and walks out. Pretends it did nothing to  _him._  The idea of Atobe fucking himself with... ugh. How repulsivecompletelyarousing. Fuck. Shishido, get a grip. No - not like that. He  _hates_  that fucking dream.

He was probably just joking. Shishido says bye to the butler, who closes the door behind him, and mulls it over as he strolls to the gate. He feels incredibly guilty for not poking his nose in. He redirects himself, despite all his instincts screaming for him to quietly fuck off.

The butler who opens the main doors seems surprised to see him again not five minutes after he showed him out, but wisely says nothing. Shishido is a tomato at that moment.

He quickly shuffles up the stairs, and reaches Atobe's room. He wonders if he should knock - and then does.

"Come in," Atobe calls. So he isn't using the thing. Shishido hates how he actually believed Atobe was okay.

"How are we best friends if you don't even tell me what's wrong," Shishido begins loudly, and then stops. Atobe had been undressing. Shishido can't look away from the unbuttoned shirt still tucked into the trousers, and whatever's underneath. He's seen Atobe plenty when they all used to change in the locker room, but this time's... different.

He wonders if he's in a shoujo manga as the protagonist. He hopes he isn't. It ends with romantic confessions and, if the manga's really porny, sex against the wall, in the bathtub, on a bed, and in a closet.

Atobe has the gall to look shocked. "Didn't you leave?"

"How could I? You're upset," Shishido mutters, finally tearing his eyes away. "I fucking hate you, but not so much that I'd leave you upset."

"I told you it wasn't anything I couldn't deal with myself. I appreciate your concern, but you really should return to your parents, they must be worried by now."

"I told them I was staying over," Shishido lies. "Now fucking tell me what's up."

Atobe tries to catch the lie, but can't (doesn't want to). He sighs in defeat. "Do you want your own room, or shall I arrange for an extra bed?"

"Your hotel, you do what you want."

Shishido earns a quizzical stare for his use of the word 'hotel'. Atobe phones the maid and asks for another bed to be brought into the room, even as he pulls out the shirt-tails and takes it off.

"Are you going to tell me why you're upset?"

"I don't think so, but you're welcome to try and wrangle it out of me," Atobe says as he puts on silk pajamas.

"So, you said earlier that you told Ayame you couldn't be with her because you're in love with someone? Was that true or were you just bullshitting her?"

"True," Atobe says. Shishido berates himself for not knowing this. A lifetime of mockery wasted.

"Who is it?"

"I will not tell you," Atobe says, laughing lightly. "Of course I'm not going to tell you, Ryou. You'd tease me endlessly."

Shishido believes him. He's a fucking idiot. "Why the fuck not? C'mon. They sexy?"

"Very," Atobe says, as he climbs into bed. "Unbelievably. It takes me a lot of self-control to hold back."

"Smart?"

"In some subjects, yes."

The maid enters with the extra bed, and sets it up beside Atobe's. She bows, and leaves without a word.

"Who is it?" Shishido prods.

"I told you, that is a secret."

Shishido sighs, flopping down onto his bed.

"Fine, have it your way. I'm telling everyone tomorrow. I'm going to sleep," he announces, to which Atobe nods. He had, perhaps, been expecting further interrogation. Shishido surreptitiously texts his dad that he's staying over at Atobe's. And then pulls the covers over himself.

He doesn't fall asleep that night. He doesn't know what to do, which is highly frustrating. So, he takes a deep breath. He makes a snap decision that he hopes he will never ever regret, and slowly rolls out of bed without a sound.

Crawling into Atobe's bed is a tougher job, but he has to wake him up, anyway.

It isn't until he's pressed up against Atobe's back that he whispers into Atobe's ear, "Oi. Jackass."

Atobe stirs. "Ryou?"

Shishido is the only one in the world who calls him that. Jackass.

"Yeah, me. Listen, listen, Atobe - Keigo, can I, can I blow you?"

" _What?_ " Atobe wakes up a little more, and shifts. Rolls over, so he's facing Shishido. He is desperately trying to keep his eyes open, so Shishido leans in and kisses him. "Can I blow you?"

Atobe spasms. Fully awake, now. "Say that again?"

"I. Want. To. Suck. Your. Dick. Can I?" Shishido repeats patiently.

"Y-yes, oh god, yes, but why?"

Shishido kisses him again. Atobe's arms slide around him and pull him closer. Tilts his head a little. Now Atobe's tongue is in Shishido's mouth and everything else disappears except for the feeling. It's sending tingles down his body, to the tips of his fingers and toes, every time Atobe's tongue brushes against Ryou's, and Ryou is surely the most awkward kisser on the planet but Atobe isn't.

Shishido pulls away.

"I'll come in my shorts if you keep kissing me, so let me just - slither down - "

Atobe exhales loudly when he hears that.

Ryou hooks his fingers around the waistband of Keigo's pyjamas, and pulls them down. He sucks him off him exactly the way he did in his dream. Keigo's trembling hands are in his (short) hair, and he is saying unintelligible things in a high-pitched voice. It's so  _good_. Ryou is not as experienced as he seemingly was in the dream, and he chokes a little, gags on him maybe a lot - but Keigo looks like he's having an out-of-this-world experience. And when he tastes him in his mouth...

It is not until he comes down from his high that he realizes Atobe's trying to pull him back up. He lets him.

"Why?" Atobe asks. It is completely dark in the room, not even a nightlight, and they can't see the other.

"Why what?" Shishido shoots back.

"Why would you do that?" Atobe places a hand on Shishido's jaw. Shishido scowls. Shoujo manga. Fucking hell.

"Why would you let me?" Because that is the better question, is it not? Offence being the best defence and all. He doesn't know why he wanted to do it. The dream made him want to do it. It was amazing. He remembers the other dream, too - the one where he got fucked into his bed. But - that isn't the issue at hand. How does he talk to Atobe now?

He doesn't get a reply or anything from Atobe until he hears a whispered apology.

"I'm sorry."

"No! I... I wanted to, jackass. I just... I  _really_  wanted to, and I was kind of hoping you'd say yes, and you said  _yes_  and I had a dream like this, I've been dreaming about you - "

Atobe kisses him.

Rich-boy kiss. Very passionate and wonderful. Atobe is back to his arrogant asshole self, except he has terrible hair which looks good on him.

"Hope the person you're in love with won't mind too much that I blew you and stuff..." Won't  _mind_? Moron!  _Moron._  Of  _course_  they'll  _mind_.

Shishido has never felt more guilt in his entire life.

Atobe laughs, once, before wrapping Shishido in his arms. "Go to sleep," he says. "We will handle what that person thinks tomorrow."

* * *

Atobe wakes Shishido up at six, who asks Atobe for a lift to his house (the chauffeur who drove him earlier says hi). There is no mention of the previous night's occurrences.

His parents are awake, because they start their day at ungodly hours. His mom frets over him a bit for not telling him sooner that he wasn't coming home, but she is used to Shishido letting them know only at the last moment of his plans. He hugs her tightly. Something has come to rest in him. Perhaps the ache, emotional and physical.

He sits with them, and talks to them about college in Germany. He tells them he really wants to go, and it's a very sudden decision, he knows. He will be leaving everything behind, and risking a lot of things, but he really wants to. It's a more sensible decision than his earlier plan of sitting at home and doing nothing.

His parents are understanding. Conducive to the idea from the start. They promise to set aside some time and discuss this a lot more when he comes back from school.

Speaking of, there are rumours flying around school that  _Atobe_  of all people is going to confess to someone in lunch. Eyewitnesses report that they saw him (well, Kabaji) bringing a massive bouquet of fully-bloomed red roses, and three bars of Amedei Porcelana into the school that morning. It's the talk of the town, but Atobe seems to be paying no attention to the reactions that he is getting, working diligently in his classes as usual, and ignoring people who scrape together the courage to ask him.

All the betters' favourites - for, of course, there was a betting pool on Atobe's potential love interests of all genders; the data was meticulously collected in the name of science on the basis of specific parameters over a period of two years - preen haughtily, expecting to be Atobe Keigo's lover beginning lunch period.

His team gossips significantly less, though. Oshitari and Akutagawa rib him a bit during practice, only for Atobe to merely smile and look away. Kabaji doesn't say a  _word._

Gakuto asks Shishido if he knows what's up in class, but Shishido has no idea either. During break, Shishido talks to Choutarou, who looks like he knows the identity of the person Atobe is going to declare his love for. Shishido frowns, because Ootori won't tell him. Ootori gives him his angelic smile and changes the topic. Shishido wants to retract all the times he's blessed Ootori, but he's not mean.

(Hiyoshi doesn't know, and has no interest in the proceedings.)

Lunch period arrives, and literally everyone can be found in the dining hall.

It's a huge thing. Really huge. Atobe is the king of Hyotei. Student council president. And... he won't be available anymore. If he was reachable even a little before, he won't be, now.

Shishido, Gakuto, Jirou, and Oshitari are sitting at their designated table, which is conveniently a vantage point for them to observe the whole room. Everyone is waiting.

And then... Atobe walks in.

Shishido's heart skips a beat. He has never looked so regal as he does now. Impossibly handsome. Glowing. People fall in love with him all over again. He has the bouquet and the bars of the world's most expensive award-winning chocolate in his hands. He makes a beeline for their table... and sits down quietly across from Shishido, placing the items on the table.

"What, aren't you going to confess now?" Gakuto bursts out. "C'mon, Atobe, just finish it. Get it over with, I wanna have lunch."

"Whoever said I was going to confess?" Atobe asks, amused. "Can I not bring flowers and chocolates to school and not gift them to somebody?" He ignores the piercing stares that he is receiving from at least three hundred people.

Shishido is suddenly flooded with the  _biggest_  wave of relief.

What. Why. Okay no forget it.

"So, what the fuck, you decided to prank the entire school in one go?" Shishido asks.

"Maybe," Atobe replies, broad smile on his face. He isn't meeting Shishido's eyes.

Gakuto whistles in appreciation. Oshitari rolls his eyes and says he's going to get his lunch and eat it, thank you very much. Akutagawa readily falls asleep on the table, but Gakuto shoves him out of his chair and drags him off with Yuushi. Shishido stays at the table, boring holes into Atobe with his gaze.

"Who is it, Ahobe?" he asks. Atobe finally looks at him. Shishido's knees kind of go weak.

Atobe pushes the bouquet and the chocolates over to him. "Be mine," he says simply.

There is a collective gasp of complete, utter astonishment in the dining hall.

Shishido looks down at the beautiful roses, and the exquisitely wrapped chocolate. "What the fuck."

"It was you. Of course it was you."

Shishido squints at the beautiful roses, and the exquisitely wrapped chocolate. "No. I refuse to be in a shoujo manga."

"We aren't in one."

"Yes, we are. Do you know what's coming next? A whole lot of blushing and sappy shit and gooey lovemaking."

"I imagined you would like that part," Atobe murmurs, not taking his eyes off Shishido.

Shishido goes scarlet. "Gekidasa da ze," he spits out.

Atobe mutely keeps gazing at him. Shishido struggles with his next words:

"I don't know how to open rich-boy chocolate, you'd better do it for me."

Atobe grins widely, reaches for him across the table, and kisses him. Shishido immediately pushes him away. There goes his reputation. He is one hundred percent a shoujo manga protagonist now. Fuck his life.

"Did you have to do this in front of everybody else?" he asks Ahobe. His  _boyfriend_.

"Of course," Atobe says. He sunnily flips his hair. "Everyone had to know you weren't available anymore."

Shishido wants to bang his head against the table. Fuck his life.

But god bless Atobe. Ryou smiles at Keigo.

Keigo smiles back.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay dildo story: When they were all in second year of HS, they pranked Atobe by buying him a dildo for his birthday. They made him open it in front of a huge crowd consisting of the invitees to his birthday party.
> 
> Atobe made them run three hundred laps every morning and afternoon practice, even foregoing actual tennis practice. He had special permission from Sakaki.
> 
> (Bit of trivia: I began this story the day I contemplated giving up on writing altogether. I'm actually a terrible writer and have been fooling you with flowery prose.)


End file.
